Browse Forums Renovation + Home Improvement 1 Jun 27, 2011 6:13 pm UPDATED with Night Flythrough: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATH2mVcVnr4 UPDATED with full Flythrough (with music!): http://youtu.be/CiM1BQwryM4 I've just commenced a massive renovation in Newtown, NSW. I thought it would be great to share what I've done to this point, especially as it's now all locked in and the builder's started knocking down walls. What it was It is a 19th century worker's cottage in Newtown, the walls are solid but barely straight. Over the years, various owners made basic modifications to the two-room cottage, like putting up a kitchen sometime in early 20th century, and a lean-to bathroom and laundry in the late 20th century. My grandfather purchased it as an investment property in the mid 60s, and never did any work to it since. Much to my fortune, the property passed into my hands when he passed on a few years ago. By the time I'd acquired it, it had fallen into a ruinous state. Sometime in the past 10 years, whiteants got into it and destroyed half the flooring. My grandfather never paid much attention to its upkeep, which the tenants were more than happy to go along with, because of the extremely cheap rent they got. It's a relatively long block, something to make up for having no rear lane. It's not wide though, and side access is only 720mm. The street is horrendously narrow and trucks need to inch up it. The builder’s gotten access through the house behind, the crafty fellow What it will be I'm in the unusual circumstance of having a house where its value brings down the value of the land. I didn't want to rush into renovating though, I want to focus on designing a place that will last for a long time. I'm now 29 so it's the right time to build. The design's gone through a few revisions. I’ve given up a green roof and an outdoor spa. Practicality has always won, I guess! Still, I’ve clawed hard to keep the Kingspan Insulation Panels. There are cheaper options but the site is so narrow, space is an absolute premium and I wanted the most insulation per centimetre that I could find. I’m also installing Remtec Aquacomb modular water tanks into the slab and under the deck. The slab’s going to be waterproofed with Krystol or Xypex admix, because I wanted to have a bathroom with a concrete floor and I never wanted to worry about leaks from the water tanks! Those are the most important things for the moment. In-slab electric heating is in, and the existing house’s floors will be re-done. I engaged an architectural practice for the DA and they put together an excellent design. Then, because I'm that sort of foolish individual, I learned how to use Archicad and put together the construction plans. Putting 'filetype:pdf "construction issue"|"issued for construction"' gave me heaps of wonderful example plans to help me on my way! The builder reckons the plans have come out better than most other architect designed plans he's worked with.. but he might just be buttering me up! Here’s a fly-through of the house, generated from my Archicad project: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaRgHHoCSSU Site meeting tomorrow morning.. the rear half has already all been knocked down, just a couple of groundworks concerns to be addressed, then onwards and upwards with the slab! Photos to follow... Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 3Jul 03, 2011 2:06 pm Still no photos, the site visits have been rife with boring things like.. discovering underpinning required of the existing cottage... location of the floor wastes for the downstairs bathroom... upvc windows orders... and so on. I can share the construction plans though: http://is.gd/u8EwDT. They are licensed under Creative Commons so I hope they can be used widely. The floor wastes will be a pair of linear grates from My Shower Grate Shop. After much negotiation with the builder, instead of waterproofing the slab via an admix, the slab will have a recess for the bathroom and a waterproofing membrane will be installed. Then, a concrete topping or tiles may be selected at a later date. There was an oversight in regards to in-slab heating in the contract. That's fine, I'm considering installing the in-slab cable myself on 11th July. My partner's father is an old hand at this sort of DIY stuff - and he loves to do it! - so I could probably save a bit of money here. I want to integrate the in-slab heating with a LinuxMCE home automation system. The plan is to predict when the cold days will be by looking at the BoM forecasts, and turn on or shut off the heating up to 24 hours beforehand. The weather is so variable in Sydney's winters that it is a terrific waste for in-slab electric to be left on all the time. I still have an ancient electricity meter, and there'll be no need to de-mount it for this renovation, so no "smart meter" for me, huzzah! I have also been looking for low-voltage LED lighting for easy integration with this HA system. As attractive as high-end LED fittings are, they are usually 240V and thus not conducive for fiddling around with. I've been looking very closely at the massive range on AliExpress but not convinced about purchasing products direct from China yet. I did have a fairly good experience with some LED strip lighting I purchased. Loan troubles continue. I hope to get them sorted out this week but I have sent an application with a non-major-owned bank that has a more construction-friendly loan. That's about all for now. I've added "photos" to my site visit notes so should have some on Tuesday or Wednesday. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 4Jul 06, 2011 1:27 pm Here's a photo just after putting the vapourproof sheeting down. The site's nice and clean, the builder has certainly kept his word there. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The party wall is looking seriously rough. The builder doubts he can get a good finish with plaster and has suggested battens and plasterboard. That'll give a step out though. It's a problem we'll need to think on over the next few months. The manufacturer was kind enough to send me these photos. The Remtec Aquacomb tanks being put down: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I've been very fortunate with the rain. The builder has been keeping the drop of the ceiling until a rainy day drives them inside. The ceiling is sealed - no man-hole - so there's a great unknown cost-wise. Hopefully existing bearers and joists can be reused for the new roof but they've already found plenty of white-anted timber so I'm not counting on that. Concrete going down next week. We are looking for a finish like this: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Let's see how well the builder does. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 6Jul 10, 2011 9:15 am Thanks for posting - I've subscribed as well. I'm in the same area of Sydney as you and my husband and I are in the process of applying for our DA through council for the extension/renovation on our terrace. Look forward to watching your build progress - the plans look great! Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 7Jul 11, 2011 5:49 pm Thanks for all your feedback. There's a lot of building work going on around the inner-west. I'd be glad to share any information on all the products I've chosen, etc. Things are moving swiftly, I'm hoping the concrete is set but framing not started by the time my 30th birthday comes around at the end of the month. I hope to have a "christening of the slab" with a couple of champagne bottles, because I thought I'd be moved in by my 30th birthday, but things didn't work out as fast as I wanted. I was on-site today to meet the in-slab cable installer. The pods and rebar are down. The concrete pour is tomorrow. Because the builder balked at in-slab waterproofing - concerns about compliance - the design was modified to step down the wet area to accommodate a waterproof membrane and a concrete pour at a later date. However the builder or the pods installer didn't consider 2 remaining pods would be sticking out, so we had to rectify that today. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The electric in-slab cable will have a DIN-mountable thermostat to integrate with the LinuxMCE home automation system. That's been put under the oven in the kitchen. I'm trying to get some pre-demolition photos so y'all can see what the place was like before it was knocked down. A "favourite" feature was the lean-to bathroom and laundry that flooded when it rained. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 9Jul 27, 2011 10:02 pm The framing's going up. I've been conservative with the plans and the builder's been finding extra centimetres here and there. Hopefully I can put some into the upstairs bathroom, anything to make it a little less cramped. I've been doing some lighting studies, because I have to get the electrical plan to the builder. Here are some pictures: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The pelmet LED lighting is an interesting notion that seems to be a specialty of Superlight, the lighting company I'm getting a quote from for all the functional lighting. I'm keen to give it a go, but I'm not sure if it'll give enough light in the living area. What do I know, I'm no lighting professional. Having the skylight surround lit up with pelmet lighting will be... pretty spectacular. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 10Aug 05, 2011 9:43 am Time for some real photos! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The framing is going up at a furious pace and the cladding will be ready shortly. The builder was very impressed with the Kingspan panels product. This has said to me that it's really up to the owner to push for these newer materials, they come at a premium so builders will never choose them by. It was very exciting to stand on the house! And very interesting to finally see into the roof space because I'd never seen that before. The existing chimney looks fine: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ And the famous brick smokestacks of St Peters are just visible - what a spectacular view (not really): Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The tank for the heat pump won't fit in the under-stairs storage area I'd designed for it. So I'm installing a Run On Sun evacuated tube thermosiphon system which should be far more efficient and cheaper to run. The price hasn't come out much more either. The builder is considering starting on waterproofing before lockup. Not so keen on the idea but he's running the show, not me. So it's time to hunt for tiles. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 12Aug 14, 2011 6:30 pm Looks great , how much was that design program? It's unreal! Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 13Aug 20, 2011 11:06 pm All the designs are done in Archicad, including plans, 3D projections, and flythroughs. I did a TAFE PLUS course which gave me the basics, and students can get an educational license. It's been a great tool to visualise and document the project, I don't think I could've been able to get this done as good without it. The K1ngspan panels have been ordered. These insulated facade panels are supposed to be simple to install, but the cost from installers are 200 to 300 percent more than the supply cost. The builder has gotten a training course on how to install. Roofing insulation: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Looking over the skylights: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Here is the large triangle window, probably the most significant aesthetic contribution from my architect: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Stellar 19th century brickwork in the upstairs bedroom: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I'm really not sure what to do about the unevenness of these walls. I suppose I'll just forever have to live with it, the small price to pay for a bit of history. The new roof is supposed to be on now. I hope the windows and doors arrive before we get far into September. Speaking of which, I have now been researching curtains and blinds prices and I'm glad I've ordered micro-venetians between the glazing. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 14Aug 22, 2011 11:53 pm Looking great! The wonky walls add the character and interest Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 15Aug 24, 2011 6:00 pm I'm installing a new sewer connection because the old one ran across two other properties in some old earthenware pipes. I don't want to have to deal with that forever, and the sewer diagram said there was a junction at the sewer main. However, problems: 1. The sewer main is 2m below ground level. 2. The junction wasn't where the diagram said it was. So the builder has cracked the sewer main by accident, which has my neighbours offside - especially the neighbour with whom I share the party wall, who is a foreman by trade. I've had to do some mediation but the builder's informed Sydney Water and is continuing to dig around for this mythical junction, through 2m of clay soil. It may even have some acid sulphate in it, the boundary is only about 100m away. In other positive news, lockup is only a couple of weeks away. Hurrah! I also had my computer chug away for a day and a half to produce a night flythrough. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ATH2mVcVnr4 I was considering putting RGB LED lights into the stairwell but after this video... I think I'm going to pass. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 16Aug 25, 2011 8:31 am Acid wash that brick wall and add some lighting to accentuate the uneven brick work. It will be a real feature then and should come up a real nice dark red colour. A white lounge or bedding would look great against it then. Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 18Sep 03, 2011 11:50 pm Yes, the builder took it on the chin but I think his willingness to take these things on is swiftly running out. There's a possibility that he's built the parapet too high. Don't get me started on the stairs. S0uth3_n Stairs has stuffed up badly and completely misinterpreted the design. If they'd only just ask me questions... Oh the hubris of the home building industry will be the death of us all. There are photos, just too lazy to upload them right now.. Thanks for your comments, I will get an acid wash done so we can work out what to do with the wall. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 19Sep 04, 2011 6:11 pm Great posts! Love the fly through - really bring the plans to life! Will be following your thread closely, we're doing a very similar thing here in Annandale: http://207young.blogspot.com. We're not going up a story, but putting in a polished concrete floor out the back! Cheers Follow the renovation of our Inner West terrace: http://207young.blogspot.com Re: NSW - Newtown rebuild 20Sep 20, 2011 10:20 pm Hi Jazzy_, yes I'm living in Annandale at the moment, it's a lovely area but I miss my old stomping ground in south Newtown. I sympathise with your asbestos story. A fellow Greens member had a small bag of asbestos to dispose of, and they charge a minimum amount of $400. I helped her out by having it neatly in corner of the property; there was certainly enough asbestos in the walls that the little bag didn't matter. Then there was the problem of the builder puncturing some bags accidentally, and leaving the asbestos in the skip all weekend. My neighbour wasn't too impressed at all. Alibaba - thanks but I will be going with Superlight, their prices were quite competitive in the end and they will design the pelmet lighting for me. Anyway, on with the photos. A lot has happened since I last updated. The Kingspan is on the walls: Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ This was my architect's second choice of material because I vetoed using Scyon Matrix. She wanted steel framing but I went with timber to bring down costs. The final colour will be 'Mist Green': Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ The builders hadn't worked with this material before but they got a short training course from Kingspan. They got pretty comfortable at cutting it up, but they had to do it slowly and carefully because this stuff is about $100 per linear metre. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ I called the foreman today to ask about concrete pour, and he dropped that they were rendering. It was a good thing I went on site because they had the roof off! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ No roof really lets a lot of light in! Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ We are considering leaving the fireplace brick exposed with the marble surround on it. It's a surround that has been in the family for generations and I am having it restored by the Heritage Building Centre. I do not know what effect it would have though. Like ⋅ Add a comment ⋅ Pin to Ideaboard ⋅ Finally I have uploaded a new video with more furnishings, a full tour of the house, and a pumping soundtrack. Newtown rebuild: https://forum.homeone.com.au/viewtopic.php?f=53&t=48977 We've had the offer of a short term tenant whilst waiting for CDC/DA home approval and demolition for our knock down rebuild. It would achieve a pretty low rent as it's… 0 13744 5 6803 if the original house is in good condition most of what you listed could be added in stages without the need for KDR and costs and disruption of having to live elsewhere… 1 13666 |